Mike Tyson Shuts Down Anthony Joshua's Claim, Says He Would Not Win Against Muhammad Ali

Mike Tyson admitted that he would not stand a chance against Muhammad Ali if he faced his fellow heavyweight great in a real bout.

Calling Ali "the greatest there's ever been," Tyson immediately brushed off a result in a recent tournament of a computer game where he came out beating the storied sports icon.

"I know it's a fantasy game," Tyson said Thursday, per the Mirror. "Most likely I would win the fantasy, but I wouldn't win the real fight. Ali's the greatest there's ever been."

Tyson turned pro in 1985 as a promising 18-year-old who would become the youngest heavyweight champion close to just two years into his career.

Being known for his devastating blows that sent bodies on the floor with no regard, many believe Tyson could pull off a stunner against Ali inside the ring. That remains to be one of boxing's biggest "what if's", though, as "the Greatest" hung his gloves for good in 1981.

However, in an interesting fact bared by unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, it was revealed that Tyson and Ali would have been on technically two different weight classes if the latter had fought during Iron Mike's era.

Thus, the British champ is putting his money on Tyson in the virtual showdown.

"It’s quite interesting because in the era of Muhammad Ali’s heavyweight reign, the heavyweights were ranked as the cruiserweights of the Mike Tyson era," Joshua told JD Sports. "So Muhammad Ali wouldn’t have been a fully-fledged heavyweight.

"So let’s say we bulked Muhammad Ali up and put size and strength to him, I truly believe Mike Tyson would’ve won," he added while comparing Tyson to Joe Frazier - the former heavyweight champ who gave Ali a run for his money.

"Tyson used to study that Joe Frazier. The moving, the hooks. He managed to put Ali down in the fight, it was a very tough fight for Ali.

"And I just believe Mike Tyson was better schooled, times have evolved, Mike Tyson was more developed. More science, more information.

"So I think that Mike Tyson would’ve won, in my humble opinion."